Nosocomial scalded skin syndrome. Ritter's disease caused by phage group 3 Staphylococcus aureus

Three cases of generalized exfoliative staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) were encountered during a 25-day period in a nursery for premature infants. A single strain of Staphylococcus aureus, phage type 42E/54/75 (group 3), was recovered from each of the three infants and from no others. Two of the three isolates were tested and both produced epidermolytic toxin (ET). Most cases of SSSS have been associated with phage group 2 strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a nursery outbreak caused by a phage group 3 staphylococcus. It illustrates that ET production and not phage type distinguishes S aureus strains that are associated with SSSS.